The landscape changes radically in a simple drive. A sea of plastic that is located next to the Mediterranean Sea.
The Guadalest valley runs along the Algar river, where the largest production of medlar on the peninsula takes place and which has had its own designation of origin since 1991.
The name of this tree of the Rosaceae family, with evergreen leaves, is Eriobotrya Japonica, revealing its oriental origins. There it was used as an ornamental plant until the end of the 18th century, when some Jesuit missionaries discovered the edible virtues of the pome fruit that ripens sooner.
The cultivation of the medlar changes the geography of the valley, producing strong contrasts between nature and the influence of man.
The quality and the high price of the crop cause strong security measures in the orchards. They put up double fences and maintain surveillance cameras to prevent the theft of the fruit. In spring is the harvest season, which lasts until mid-June. During this period, vigilance increases.
Although the medlar is a fairly cold-resistant plant, if you want to grow commercially, you should do so in hot climates with average temperatures of 15ºC. If it suffers heat or sun strokes, strong frosts or continuous winds, the fruit loses quality and even the tree can be seriously damaged. For this reason, the placement of covers to protect the quality of the fruit is very characteristic.
What is the expansion limit of this fruit and how will the valley change in the next few years?
What do we lose with the overcrowding of crops?
How far will this sea of plastic go?
Enjoy our valley, enjoy our landscape, enjoy our plastic
